Mario Tennis on the N64 was without a doubt one of the finest tennis sims to ever be created. Perhaps not for its physics, but for the sheer fun value it was without contest. Camelot has stepped forward to provide a Mario Tennis for the latest generation.
You do, of course, have a choice of standard tennis matches. Hit the ball over the net, trying to prevent your opponent from hitting it back. Win games and sets to win entire matches and gain gold trophies. This time around there is also quite a large selection of themed courts, such as the Donkey Kong Jungle court, where Klap Traps wander around on the net, or the Delfino Island court where Piranha Plants puke up slippery paint-like goop onto the court. These new courts are more of a side-attraction to the main event, though their presence is dominant.
There are many minigames to try out, such as the Mario Paint court, where you have to try and hit the right parts of a picture with the right colours. You can also have up to four player matches and tournaments.
Wario's defensive Power Move is called the "Ultra Hand" - an extendable claw that hits the ball back wherever it may be. This move is named after Nintendo's first successful toy, an extendable claw used to grab coloured balls, also called the Ultra Hand, released way back in 1966.
One of the Gimmick Courts is the Mario Classic Court, decorated with pixellated graphics from the original arcade Mario Bros.
Shellcreepers, Sidesteppers and Fighter Flies walk across the court, tripping your character. Hitting the POW Block above the net will knock the enemies over, allowing you to kick them off the court. Freezie appears and freezes sections of the court, reducing traction.
One of the minigames is set on the Mario Classic Court, and involves collecting Coins.
